NEW YORK—I’ve worked on countless
films, episodic television programs, commercials
and occasional live event production.
and I’ve witnessed much technological
change and innovation—from the advent
of digital cinematography to the rise of the
tapeless workflow. What hasn’t changed is
the importance of having reliable power
gear backed up by top-notch customer support.

In several recent feature films and commercials
I’ve worked on, I’ve used ARRI
ALEXA digital cinema cameras with Codex
RAW recorders. I power my Steadicam rig
with Anton/Bauer’s HyTron 140s and use
the company’s Dionic HC batteries to run
my onboard cameras. If it weren’t for the
Dionic HC, I wouldn’t be able to power this
type of camera on a Steadicam rig and get
the kind of dependability I need.

DESIGNED-IN TOUGHNESS
The Dionic HC really stands up to the
demands of the power-hungry equipment
that’s part of today’s production world.
Thanks to its lithium-ion cells, it easily sustains
a 10 amp draw and can operate a 40
Watt HD camera for more than two hours,
which makes my job that much easier. I
also feel more secure with the knowledge
that the battery’s honeycomb design protects
cells and minimizes damage should it
be dropped. Its motion-detection feature is
also great for extending life, and RealTime
LCD feature allows me to see the fuel gauge
and remaining run-time data simultaneously.
And this lightweight battery makes it easier
to shoot in remote locations.

I’ve also found that the HyTron 140 is
great for powering my HD equipment and
on-camera lighting systems. It lets us operate
for many hours at remote production
sites without limits or travel restrictions.
The battery also provides an excellent
counterbalance to offset the weight of a
heavy lens, which really comes in handy
when you’re lugging around a lot of gear for
a production.

POWER ALL DAY
Anton/Bauer’s Cine VCLX batteries are
also a regular part of my toolkit. I worked
on two Nike commercials this year and the
convenience and longevity of these batteries
really came in handy. In producing one
of these, we travelled across the United
States following a long-distance couple who
set out to run towards each other from opposite
coasts until they met up. Our shoot
involved 16-hour days in which we ran the
camera, pre-amps, wireless equipment and
monitors from Anton/Bauer CINE VCLX batteries.
Our sources of outside power were
very limited, requiring us to recharge the
batteries from the electrical systems of our
vehicles. Knowing that we’d be able to complete
the day’s shooting without running
out of power made the production troublefree
and provided peace of mind.

Also providing peace of mind is Anton/
Bauer’s global customer support. They’ve
helped me with great products, service and
rock-solid personalized care through the
years. They listen to my needs and answer
with gear that gets the job done, no matter
where I’m working. Anton/Bauer products
are truly the gold standard.

Brant Fagan is a 20-year cinematography
and camera work veteran. He may be
contacted at brant@brantsfagan.com.